Footwear and method of making the same



1 H. 'BULLOCK.

FOOTWEAR AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30, 1919.

1,356,961. Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

IW/veni'or flu gii/Buiiook,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH BULLOCK, OF ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSICNOR TO CONVERSE RUBBERSHOE COMPANY, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHU-SETTS.

FOOTWEAR AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 001 ,26, 1920,

Application filed J'un-e 30, 1919. Serial No. 307,518.

To all whom it may concern Be it .known that I, HUGH BULLooK, a citizenof the United States, and a resident of Andover, in the county of Essexand Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have in vented an Improvement inFootwear and Methods of Making the Same, of which the followingdescription in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention pertains to improvements in footwear having rubber heelsand methods of attaching said heels. The invention is of generalapplication, but I have elected to disclose thesame specifically inconnection. with the. attachment of heels for rubber boots, though it isobvious that the invention may be of use in attaching rubber heels toother types of footwear.

In the drawings, which show a preferred embodiment of one form of myinvention inconnection with which I shall describe a preferred form ofpractising my improved methods Figure 1 is side elevation of a rubberboot;

Fig. 2 is a plan of a heel for attachment thereto; and

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of fiubber heels of a type adaptedto be secured to footwear by rubber cement prior to completevulcanization are ordinarily molded under pressure in a hot mold, preferably being partially vulcanized during the molding operation. Theheels after removal from the mold are then usually coated on their uppersurface with a rubber cement, and stuck to the cooperating parts, afterwhich the shoe as a whole is vulcanized.

I have found that a marked saving in rubber cement may be effected andthat the attachment of the heel 4; to the shoe 5 may be more readilyeffected and made more secure by applying a sheet of fabric 6 across thetop of the heel. The application of this sheet of fabric is preferablyeffected during the molding of the heel, the fabric being pressedagainst thematerial forming the heel during the partial vulcanization.

the top platen, so that when the top platen is pressed against the heelthe sheet of fabric will be in effect consolidated therewith. Thesuperior security of attachment and economy in cement secured by use ofmy'mvention is believed to arise not only from the provision of thestripof fabric adjacent the surface to be cemented but also from theprotection afforded by the fabric to the top of the heel during thesemi-vul canization, the rubben seeming to be cured less adjacent thetop when the fabric is applied than when the fabric is not applied.After the heel is molded with the fabric it may be secured to thecooperating parts of the shoe by a very thin layer of cement, afterwhich the usual vulcanization may complete the securing together of theparts. The cement may if desired be initially combined, with the heel byutilizing for the fabric one frictioned with non-curing cement.Duringthe partial vulcanization of the heel the fabric will prevent thesulfur from striking into the cement which will therefore be unaffected.When, however, the heel is secured in place the cement will be cured bythe sulfur in the main body of the shoe.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention and onemethod of practising the same, it will be understood that majorchanges-involving omission, substitution, alteration and reversal ofparts or materials may be made and that changes in the method may beeffected within the scope of the following claims:

1. The method of forming footwear of the class described, whichcomprises molding under pressure a heel of rubber or the like whilepressing a sheet of fabric against the top of the heel, subsequentlysecuringsaid heel to the cooperating sole with'said sheet of fabricadjacent the sole, and finally vulcanizing the parts thus assembled.

2. The method of forming footwear of the class described Which comprisesmolding under pressure a heel of rubber or the like while pressing asheet of fabric against the top of the heel, semi-curing said materialwhile in the mold and subsequently securin said heel to the cooperatingsole with said sheet of fabric adjacent the sole.

3. The method of forming footwear of the class described which comprisesmolding under pressure a heel of rubber or the like while pressing a'sheet of fabric againstaahe top of the heel, semi-curing said materialwhile in the mold, subsequently securing said heel to the cooperatingsole with said. sheet of fabric adjacent the sole and then finallyvulcanizing the parts thus assembled. at. The method of forming footwearof the class described which comprises molding under pressure a heel ofrubber or the like While pressing a sheet of fabric against the top ofthe heel, semi-curing said material while in the mold and subsequentlysecuring by rubber cement said heel to the cooperating sole with saidsheet of fabric adjacent the sole. v v

' 5. The method of forming footwear of the class described whichcomprises molding under pressure a heel of rubber or the like Whilepressing a sheet of fabric against the top of the heel, semi-curing saidmate- 6. The method of forming footwear of the class described whichcomprises molding under pressure a heel of rubber or the like whilepressing a sheet of fabric against the top of the heel which fabric iscoated with non-curing cement, semi-curing said material while in themold and subsequently securing said heel to the cooperating sole withsaid sheet of fabric adjacent the sole. 7. As a new article ofmanufacture a heel having a body portion of semi-cured rubber, athickness of fabric on the inner face there of and non-curing cement onthe fabric.

In testimony whereof, I haye signed my name to this specification.

HU H BULLOCK.

